Star Clippers offers free cabin upgrades for National Cruise Week 2013

 To celebrate National Cruise Week, which runs from September 21 to 29, 2013, tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers is offering free cabin upgrades for all bookings made during that period.

Book any Star Clippers voyage to the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or Cuba during National Cruise Week, or one of the longer ocean crossings, and the cabin paid for will be upgraded by one category.

All Star Clippers cabins have twin or double beds, TV, marble-lined bathroom and plenty of storage, becoming more spacious according to the level of the category. All sailings on all three of the line’s graceful square-riggers are included in this fantastic offer.

Savings include:

Mediterranean

Round-trip Rome on Royal Clipper, departing May 10, 2014 and calling at Ponza, Sorrento, Amalfi, Taormina, Lipari and Stromboli, costs £1,470 in a category 6 cabin; save £75 per person with a free upgrade to category 5 (port taxes and flights extra).

Cuba

Round trip Cienfuegos (Cuba) on Star Flyer, departing December 7, 2014 and calling at beautiful beaches and cays in southern Cuba as well as the Cayman Islands, costs £1,115 in a category 6 cabin; save £115 per person with a free upgrade to category 5 (port taxes and flights extra).

Caribbean

Round-trip Philipsburg (St Maarten) on Star Clipper, departing November 30, 2013 and calling at Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, St Kitts and St Barths, costs £1,080 in a category 6 cabin, saving £155 per person with a free upgrade to category 5 (port taxes and flights extra).

Note: The maximum upgrade included in this offer is category 3 to category 2.

To book, call 0845 200 6145 or visit www.starclippers.co.uk.

Save more than £3,000 per person off brochure prices during National Cruise Week

It doesn’t matter whether you want to search for the spectacular Northern Lights in Norway or camp alongside the penguins in Antarctica, Hurtigruten are offering some amazing prices on selected Coastal and Explorer voyages during National Cruise Week.

The company currently has early booking discounts of up to 25% off 2013 and 2014 voyages, but is offering those booking between 21-29 September 2013 an additional 5% off the reduced prices.

Total savings could amount to more than £3,000 off the standard brochure price, depending on the type of cabin and itinerary booked. The 5% National Cruise Week discount alone could save more than £500 per person.

Norwegian Coastal Voyages now from £1,360 per person including flights

Prices for the 2014 programme now start from £1,360 per person for the five night ‘Classic Voyage South’ on full board basis including flights - a total discount of £311 off the brochure price - when you depart between 1 January and 31 March 2014.  Book a Classic Coastal Voyage departing in 2013 and you will also receive a free excursion to the Northern Cape – Europe’s northernmost point.

Book an expedition and save more than £3,000 per person

Those with an adventurous streak can also make savings on selected expeditions.

Join the Christmas Expedition 2014 and not only will you spend the festive period with penguins, seals and whales, but make some great savings as well. The 17 day voyage to Antarctica departing on 19 December now costs from £5,987 per person – an amazing combined discount of £2,415 per person off the standard brochure price. The price includes return flights from London and voyage on full board basis.

If you were to book a suite on the same voyage the cost would be £9,793 per person including an early booking saving of £3,436 plus additional cruise week saving of £515 per person – a total discount of £3,951 off the standard brochure price of £13,744 per person.

The offer is valid for bookings made between 21 and 29 September 2013 for coastal voyages departing before 31 December 2014 and expedition voyages departing by 24 February 2015.

All prices are based on two sharing.

For more information call Hurtigruten on tel: 0844 448 7601 or visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk.

Travel Indochina Launches New River Cruising Options In Asia

Leading Asia specialist, Travel Indochina, has unveiled its new Asia River Cruising brochure for 2013-2015 featuring a significantly expanded range of cruising options in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and China. Among the latest additions are 13 new cruise itineraries, two additional vessels on the Mekong and Irrawaddy River, and a greater choice of flexible packages with trips varying in length from 4 - 22 days. New in the brochure for 2013-2015, customers of Travel Indochina can discover Burma's untouched regions onboard the deluxe Orcaella. A recent addition to the Orient Express fleet in 2013, the Orcaella explores the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy River and the remote Chindwin River between Bagan and Yangon. It features 25 stylish cabins with en-suite bathrooms, a wellbeing and fitness area, swimming pool and sun deck. Travel Indochina has 8-day and 12-day itineraries on the Orcaella, with prices starting from £3,270 per person*.  Also new to the tour operator's portfolio is the Mekong Sun which winds through the upper Mekong in Laos. The Mekong Sun provides an intimate cruise experience with just 14 air-conditioned cabins and maximum capacity for 28 customers. Travel Indochina offers a 5-day package combining a 3-day cruise and 2 nights' deluxe accommodation at the Luang Say Residence in Luang Prabang following the cruise. This memorable escape also includes a Lao cooking class at Tamarind Restaurant, plus time to explore Luang Prabang. Prices start from £1,260 per person**. Together with these newly-added vessels, Travel Indochina has introduced 13 new itineraries for 2013-2015. The new packages cover the Mekong, Yangtze, Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers in Indochina, China and Burma respectively. Among the new itineraries are a 12-day "Irrawaddy River Cruise to Mandalay" in Burma, a 16-day "Enchanting Rivers of Indochina" through Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, and a 15-day "Emperor's China & Yangtze River" from Beijing to Shanghai. These new journeys are complemented by a greater choice of shorter options for those who prefer to spend more time on land. Options include a 10-day "Classic Mekong River Journey" which combines a 4-day cruise aboard the Jayavarman with 6-days touring on land, travelling from Vietnam to Cambodia. Further good news is that the specialist tour operator has significantly reduced its pricing for cruises on The Jahan and Jayavarman, the smallest and most luxurious boats to sail the Mekong River. Travel Indochina's latest brochure and recently-updated online cruise portal are packed with everything travellers' need to know about river cruising in Asia, including a wealth of new content that covers shore excursions, cuisine, charters, full deck plans, cabin layouts and detailed boat specification pages. They perfectly showcase the specialist operator's unrivalled range of river cruise holidays for those seeking a more intimate atmosphere with big doses of culture and constantly-changing scenery along the river shores. With an increasing demand for small boat river cruising, these new updates are testament to Travel Indochina's continued efforts to expand its river cruise portfolio and keep up with customers' growing appetite for new experiences along Asia's mesmerising main rivers. *Prices include 7 nights' cruise accommodation in a Deluxe Cabin (twin share), 1 internal flight within Asia, all sightseeing as specified including entrance fees, local English-speaking guides throughout, transfers as specified and all meals. Excludes international flights. **Prices include 2 nights' deluxe hotel accommodation, 2 nights' cruise accommodation in a Classic Cabin (twin share), road transport in air-conditioned vehicles, all sightseeing as specified including entrance fees, local English-speaking guides throughout, airport transfers, daily breakfast, 2 lunches and 2 dinners. Excludes international flights. For more information on Travel Indochina, please visit: www.travelindochina.co.uk or telephone: 01865 268 940.